Dancing with the Devil
by Magikme13
Summary: When a devil gets lured into dancing with an angel, will things stay the same or will Limbo become the permident resting place for all. KaoruXOC and slightly HikaruXdifferentOC Read all AN's...
1. Chapter I: Stumble Into Place

**Hiya! Franki-chan is really happy with this idea that hit her like a brick!**

**Hikaru: it was a brick-**

**Kaoru: the idea was taped to it, remember?**

**Franki-chan: Maybe… :scratches lump on head:**

**DON'T OWN ANYTHING!!!!**

**OC: What about me!?**

**Franki: Okay, so i own her...**

* * *

The snow fell lightly upon the school yards manicured grounds, adding a special chill to the air that excited almost every child on the field, telling them it was close to winter vacation. Key words are _almost every child_.

Two children were sitting side by side on a cold bench, watching the others run back and forth, throwing snow balls and white dust at each other, laughing, smiling… Why weren't they joining in their classmates' merriment you may ask? Well, it's their opinion against yours, but to the two young boys it was obvious…

"They're idiots," One said.

"All of them." The other agreed.

The reason that their classmates were idiotic in their eyes was simple. They were so stupid that they couldn't tell two totally different people apart. And that was that.

Actually it wasn't just their school mates that mixed them up; it was everyone and anyone, even their own parents. So instead of their real names, they were called "those two," or, "the twins." It got quite aggravating after a while I'm sure you can imagine. So they made up a game so there likeness wasn't as annoying. It was called the "Which one is Hikaru-kun?" game, and they permitted anyone who could guess right to play with them. Sad truth was that no one had ever won the game, so they never allowed anyone to play with them…ever.

But they supposed having a brother that shared the same DNA with you did have its ups. They had each other didn't they? They were twins, and understood one another better than anyone else on the planet. So they concluded that they didn't need anyone else. But the other children didn't know that.

Suddenly, a young girl skipped up to the duo, smiling brightly. She panted slightly as she fought to catch her breath. The twins watched her and she finally acquired enough air to speak to them, "Hello."

The two stared at her with their twin sets of golden eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"Do you want to play?"

"Does _who_ want to play?" They asked, tilting their heads to one side.

"You two, sillies!" She laughed, placing her hands on her winter coat clad hips.

"We're sorry," The boys took in her surprised look as they continued, "There is no one here named _Youtwo._ There is, however, Hikaru and Kaoru."

"Um…okay then, does Hikaru-kun and Kaoru-kun want to play?" the girl asked again, thinking she had corrected the problem. But how they replied threw her off completely.

"Can you guess—,"

"—which one is Hikaru,"

"—and which one is Kaoru?"

She stared at them, and stared at them, and stared at them, switching her gaze from one to the other. Finally she raised her small hand and pointed to one.

"Kaoru-kun," she said, then pointed to the other, "And Hikaru-kun?" She held her breath as she waited for their response.

"No."

Her eyes became wide as she looked at them. They grasped one another's hand, waiting for the girl to walk away and continue to play with her friends. But what she said next threw_ them_ completely off balance.

Her face took on a concerned look and she held her hands up in a halting manner, "I'm sorry. Please don't cry…"

━━━ **死****━━━**

"Oh, how dreary things are without you Hikaru…" Kaoru muttered as he walked through the many halls of Ouran High School.

It was very rare that you ever saw one twin without the other, and this was one of those rare times. Hikaru had fallen ill with strep throat and was coughing so violently that he could barely get out of their bed that morning. The twins shared everything, from thoughts to drinks, and so when Hikaru showed his first signs of his sickness and Kaoru had remained fit as a fiddle, the whole mansion started to panic.

Kaoru wanted to stay at home with his brother, but Hikaru had insisted that he go to school and the Host Club. But without Kaoru and Hikaru together the thrill of the "devil type" just wasn't the same, so Tamaki and Kyoya had told him to take the day off and they would make up some elaborate and breathtaking story about why he and his twin were absent.

So Kaoru was reduced to wondering the halls, avoiding his fans in case Kyoya told them he was sick like his brother, he didn't want any unwanted questions to arouse if he was found.

He whistled a strange tune he found on the radio that morning on his way to school in his limo, and it had managed to glue itself into his memory, making him repeat it over and over and over and…

He clumsily tripped over one of the halls finely furnished rugs, and stumbled forward as he try to regain his composer. After he righted himself, he turned and glared at the offending carpet, his pride a bit bruised as he continued on.

He stopped and looked around a bit. He'd never been in this section of the school before, it was even more secluded and quiet then the hallway containing the third music room.

"Where am I?" Kaoru asked aloud, looking at the few doors that lined the walls. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't even realized he'd wandered into this foreign place. It looked like every other part of the school but it had a more abandoned air to it, a more dead feeling if you will.

He was about to turn around and find his way back to the more familiar parts of the school when a soft sound met his ears. It was music he soon decided, piano music, much like the stuff Tamaki played on occasion.

Curiosity getting the better of the ginger-haired boy, he set off to find the source of the melodious tune; his feet falling into the slow beat subconsciously.

Turning a few corners that led to more corners to turn, Kaoru was sure he had gotten himself lost, but that song kept him turning and walking, because, he figured if he _did_ turn back, he _would_ get lost. But the person playing that song could give him directions on how to get back without getting lost. Unless that person was lost too, then he was screwed.

The song's melody began to grow stronger and louder as he got closer, and he finally made a hairpin turn up a flight of stairs and was met with a pair of double-doors, the piano music exiting from just behind them.

He sighed, happy to finally be at the source of his quest. He grasped one of the long brass handles and gently pushed down, the door popping open slightly. Even with the door broken this small fraction, the music flowed out as loud as a parade passing within it.

Kaoru peeked inside slightly to find it darker than the hallway; the lights dimmed very low, but not low enough for Kaoru not to make out a figure walking in the middle of the room. No not walking…_dancing_. Quite well at that. Even in the dark, the teen could tell the dancer was exceptionally good. They were spinning about the room in circle movements, leaping at times and crouching at others. Ballet, Kaoru finally decided, they were doing ballet.

The song suddenly began to repeat itself, the same five notes skipping over each other again and again, making the dancer stop in their tracks and huff irritably.

"Stupid stereo system…never works…fix it…" the figures voice was muffled by the over amplified music, but still readable. The voice was very agitated and very feminine.

Kaoru's golden eyes widen as the lights suddenly flickered on, the music snapped off. He had unconsciously walked further into the room and closed the door behind him during the performance. So if he excited, the dancer would hear the door shut and immediately advance on him, and he had a feeling they didn't want to be watched.

Currently they had their back to him, bent over a stereo (apparently fixing the cause of the skipping), giving him a clear view of their backside, which was only covered by a pair a purple and white mini-shorts. They hummed a tune all too familiar to Kaoru's ears and swayed their butt back and forth, making it hard for Kaoru not to comment on how uncomfortable he was, a charmer he was but a pervert he was not.

Deciding he was going to get busted either way, he cleared his throat making himself known. The dancer snapped upright, slowly turning their head.

Kaoru thought maybe he should go for the host card and sweet talk her into telling him without getting falsely accused of, well…anything not true; when she tackled him to the ground with all the force she could muster.

"Who are you and why were you watching me?!" She demanded, pinning his shoulders down harshly with her hands, her manicured nails digging into his shoulder blades, a filled plastic water bottle held over his head as a weapon. Her hips straddling his middle.

He grabbed the hand holding the water bottle, "Hey, hey, just calm down, no need to get violent!"

"Answer the questions!"

"Okay, okay!" Wincing slightly at the pain, he ground out, "I'm Hitachiin Kaoru a-and I'm a bit lost and was wondering if you could, uh, give me directions…?"

"What school do you go to?!" She glared at him with deep brown eyes that reminded him of melted chocolate bars.

"Ouran Private Academy."

"What school clubs do you belong to?!"

"Um…" Was the host club really considered a club? It was more private and choosy about its members, and the school didn't really establish it, so… "None."

"You swear?" she asked, moving in closer to his face. This was probably he ever felt uncomfortable around a female of his own age group.

"I swear on the soul of my undead grandfather." He joked, trying to lighten the mood. She glared at him one last time before leaping off him, dusting herself off, and sticking out her hand for him to grab.

"I apologize for interrogating you like that but you see, I'm training for a competition and don't want any competitors stealing my moves." He let her help him up and accepted her apology, telling her he was fine.

"Does that happen often? People spying on you?" Kaoru asked following her to the opposite side of the room.

Kaoru had no idea Ouran had a dance studio, a very nice one at that. The walls were all layered with multiple mirrors, each one clean and sparkling, reflecting back everything. Kaoru noticed even the doors he entered through was covered with the reflecting glass. The wood floor was waxed so you could see yourself in it just as well as the mirrors. A wooden bar line itself along one wall, a small table near the other, where the malfunctioning boom box was located, along side what Kaoru guessed was the girls bag.

"Yes, unfortunately…" she answered, tightening the long red ribbons on her point shoes. "It seems people have no originality these days."

"What is this place? I've been going to Ouran a long time and never saw this room." Kaoru truly was interested.

"It is what it is. A dance studio." She stated simply, raising herself from the floor.

"Huh…" Kaoru stared at the girl, giving her a once over.

She was thin, but not so thin you thought her anorexic. All her curves were in the right places and her skin tan, sun kissed. Her hair was dark, but in the right light it gave off a burgundy tint, it was held up in a short pony tail at the top of her head, that bobbed when she walked, she was about a head shorter than him. She stood in first position, as she waited for him to speak further, interrogating unconsciously with her chocolate eyes.

"I believe you've had the pleasure of knowing my name," he said, "But I have yet to be told yours. What is your name?"

She looked at him, and spoke hesitantly, "Tatsuna…Mariko…"

"Very nice to meet you, Miss Mariko." Kaoru bowed deeply. "It is an honor."

Mariko looked around quickly, then back to Kaoru. "Is this a joke? 'Cause I'm getting freaked."

Kaoru smiled, "No, it's not a joke. I was taught to greet a lady this way. But now that that's over, I can let loose." He jumped up onto the table and sat, swinging his feet back and forth.

"Oh, good," Mariko sighed, "For a second there I thought I was on _Candid Camera_."

"Where?" Kaoru asked.

"Um, it's this American show my dad watches." She replied, going into a split.

"You speak English?"

"No but my dad does, he tells me what's going on."

"Oh." Kaoru found it a bit odd he had suddenly been launched into conversation in with random girl he only just met, but he was enjoying their conversation. "Did that hurt?"

"Did what hurt?" She asked, getting up. "If you say, _when you fell down from heaven_, I will personally kick you all the way to Africa."

"No, that's one of the lamest lines in the book," _Although milord would probably try it on Haruhi_, "I was talking 'bout that split."

"Oh, well at first it did, 'cause the instructor would tell you to go down as far as you could, then he'd just push you the rest of the way, forcing you to stretch your muscles completely." She told, seemingly comfortable around him as much as he was around her. She untied her point shoes and slipped into some Chuck Taylor Converses instead. "But not anymore. Bet you couldn't do it though."

"And if I can?" he pressed further.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Can you?"

"No."

"Oh," she laughed, "Alrighty then."

He watched her slip some sweat pants on over the shorts, and undo her hair, which immediately fell over her shoulders and down her mid-back.

"You said you were lost, right?" she grabbed her bag, and the handle of the boom box.

"Well,_ lost_ is such a strong word I merely took a right when I meant to take a left." He explained.

"So…you're lost." She stated, tapping her foot.

"Yes." He smirked; it was fun to mess with her head.

"Whatever, follow me, I'm heading home." She took out a rack of keys and locked the door behind them.

Kaoru walked behind her and stared at her bag. It had a picture of a group of guys printed on it, the letters F.O.B. floating above their heads in black writing.

"_Fob_?" Kaoru poked the bag.

"No. F.O.B. It stands for _Fall Out Boy_." She replied, smoothing the bag out with her hand, smiling proudly. "They're an American band. Awesome beat…and I can understand _some_ of the lyrics." She began to hum the tune to one of the songs they had written. It just happened to be the song Kaoru had heard on his way to school that day. So he hummed along. "You know it?!" she exclaimed.

"Not really," Her face took on a crestfallen look, "But I heard it on the radio this morning."

"In Japanese?" her eyes took on a new spark.

"No. English."

"Damn." She swore.

It suddenly grew very quiet, making Kaoru slightly fidgety. He tried something else, "How old are you?"

"I'm gonna be sixteen in a month!" she cheered punching the air as best she could with her hands full.

"Good for you."

"And you?"

"Sixteen."

"Aw, lucky. Can you drive?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

"But I thought you said you were fifteen…?"

"Yeah, but I can still drive."

"What _do_ you drive?"

"A Rice Rocket."

"Those Ninja Motorcycles?"

"Yep!"

"Wow, a daredevil, huh?"

"Not really. The bike is the farthest I go."

Kaoru realize they were in the approaching the exit. "Thanks, I can walk from here."

"Alright."

"So I'll see you around, maybe?"

"I'm in the studio every other day." Mariko said waving, and jumping out the door, leaving Kaoru to himself.

"That was…_weird_." He said, but smiled none the less.

* * *

**Yay! first chappy is done!**

**Now i need ideas for conversation between them the next meeting so suggest conversation starters. which means you must review!**

**if you don't i am forced to think its crap and not continue...that means you SF7!!!**

**Ja ne!!!!**


	2. Chapter II: Which step first?

**TEC-chan is sooooo sorry she couldn't get this up faster, but thank you to all the 3 reviewers i got...you guys rock my sox big time!**

**Please leave your comments after you read, i take everything, flames and all.**

━━━ **死****━━━**

There he was, sitting on the linoleum floor, naked, his gorgeous blue eyes staring up at her, fear swallowing his pupils slowly. But she didn't have anymore mercy, no more care left for this pitiful person she once called husband.

She looked to the left of the bedroom, where a body lay still. No, not one body, but _two_, two bodies, belonging to a pair of undress women who had tumbled from the bed as she had shot them, dead. One's short blonde hair was cut hurriedly and showered about her lifeless form; the other's brown locks were slowly soaking up the blood from the wound to her head. Both very beautiful, but both very wicked.

"Please…please—don't—don't kill me! Please!" her brown eyes darted back to those of her old lover, their darkness seemingly black in the dim light. "_Please_!" he begged, sobbing pathetically.

"Why not?" she asked, pulling her dark hair over one shoulder as she began to daintily step around the red hair man, forgetting that she was stepping in the other women's blood. "Why shouldn't I kill you? What's one less cheating rat in this cruel world? Hm?" Her voice was much to low for the man's liking, much too cold and unforgiving.

"Be—because, you still love m-me. I-I-I know y-you do…please Mariko, please!" He knew he was lying, to her and to himself. But he had to convince her to spare him, he just had to. She had to forgive him for sleeping with two other women, she just had too!

Mariko cocked her head to the side, blinking her heavily line eyes a few times, "Are you _sure_ that I still love you? You're _positive_ that I still have feelings for you?" her voice got louder, "That I can't pull this trigger and send you down to the fiery pits of hell where you belong!?" she whispered dangerously, "That I won't kill you, and forgive you for using me like some lab rat? Huh? You think after all the abuse and lies that you put me through, that I'll just let you start over, and pretend this never even _happened_…?"

He knew Mariko wanted him to answer, so he hesitantly said, "Y-yes…I do."

Mariko laughed chillingly, "Well, then death do us part, baby." She quoted, raising the pistol in her right hand and firing three shots into the man's heart, where she thought once that she was stored forever.

And then…it all went black…

"Guess who?" Mariko blinked her eyes as best she could under a large pair of hands covering her chocolate eyes. She was back in the dance studio at Ouran, and out of her own little dream world. The gun no longer clutched in her hands.

"Oh, you idiot! You spoiled my mood! I was in the moment!" Mariko could still hear her tango music still playing in the background. She must have been really into it if she hadn't heard him come in, or sneak over to her.

"Don't care. Now, guess _who_?" It was that boy from the other day, she knew that much. What was his name again? She sighed.

"Um, what was your name…? Karin?" she guessed.

"That's a girl's name. Guess again." The boy had much too much unholy amusement on his part.

She racked her brain, "Kyoko?"

"I almost thought you were gonna say Kyoya." He chuckled to himself, and she could feel him shift from one foot to the other behind her.

"Is that it!?"

"Nope. And Kyoko is another girl's name." he retorted hotly.

"Kensuke?" she ventured.

He laughed, "That's a boy's name, but no not my name."

Mariko stamped her foot upon the wooden floor and whined childishly, "Can't you just tell me?"

"Nope."

She huffed, and crossed her arms over her breasts, "Fine," she continued, "Karamu?"

"Close, but no cigar!" He said cheerily, as he blew a piece of copper hair from his eyes.

"It meant something smelly, right?" she asked, hoping the information would help her in some way or another.

"I guess if you want to make it sound vulgar, then yes," She could almost feel the frown on his face, "It means to _smell sweet_, which is much more polite."

"Whatever it means, it's not helping me out here!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Kureno?"

"Even closer." He paused, "What's your name mean?"

"Huh? Oh, um… it means _circle_." She sighed, tapping her chin with her index and middle finger.

"Really?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know that."

"Kaori?"

"How'd you know what my name meant?"

"Is that it?" she asked, annoyed

"Is what it?"

"Kaori!?" she screamed, grabbing the hands on her face.

"No."

"Ugh, y'know what, I'm done!" She pried the hands away from her eyes as best she could, but failed in the end. "Just let go! I'm tired of this game!"

He chuckled, "But its fun!"

"Please let go?" she asked politely, holding her hands together in front of her torso, pleading in the opposite direction of the taller boy.

"Well, since you asked so nicely…" he let his hands fall limply to his sides, and laughed at Mariko when she whipped her head about to face him, a angry pout of annoyance set upon her face.

"What, pray tell, is so funny?" She asked, but smiled at herself.

"N-nothing." He told her between outbursts, taking his sweet time in collecting himself. "So, do you remember my name _yet_?"

"Sorrta…Is it Ka—Ka—_Kaoru_?" she nibbled her lip in anticipation.

Kaoru nodded vigorously, "Very good, _Loopy_." He mock applauded her success, making her glare at him like she did on their first meeting. She huffed and stocked to the stereo, whose song had switched to a waltz some time ago.

"Wouldn't be talking, _Stinker_…" she shot back, changing the music to something that sounded oh too much like Swan Lake. She took a gentle stance and raised her hands above her head, her eyes falling closed softly and her face taking on a relaxed look. Her feet slowly made their way closer to the large wall mirror before her, spinning quickly upon one point shoe, placing the other down beside its partner to balance herself. She dipped her body backwards, letting Kaoru see her midriff, and then dipped forward, bringing a leg up into the air, her arms placed to her side like she was taking flight.

Kaoru remained silent. He knew better than to speak to Mariko when she was doing ballet. She had told him unintentionally that she had a contest coming up soon, and he had a feeling it was important to her. But when he had walked in, it looked like she was doing a one sided tango. Did she have a dance partner?

"Hey, Mariko?" He whispered, making sure to not disturb her completely, knowing it was his head on the line in the end.

The dark hair teen growled lightly, but answered, "Yes?"

"D'you have a dance partner?"

She shook her head, "Not at the moment." She responded simply.

"Oh, okay then." He sat himself down upon the table with the boom box, sighing lightly.

The music continued, and Mariko continued to prance and leap around the room, making sure to take extra care in her bends for some reason. After a while the artist spoke again, "Why'd you ask?"

Kaoru looked up, "No reason," he shrugged and smiled, he let his eyes wander about the strange studio again, his gold stare finally landed on something of interest, a CD, with the letters F.O.B. printed on the outside. It was laid haphazardly to the side of the stereo. Then, Kaoru got an idea in his head, and when a twin's got an idea stuck, you know it's not coming out no matter how deep in dog crap it gets him.

Mariko was currently shifting her feet from in front of her to the back, circular movements with her hips following after ever step, when suddenly her music stopped. Thinking it was just a skip in the CD or just the boom box freaking out again, she just continued her dance, playing the music she new oh-to-well in her head, keeping the steps fluent, and her eyes closed. But when a horribly loud voice echoed through out the room, she stopped dead and swung her head about to face Kaoru, who was playing the air drums sloppily and her Fall Out Boy CD clutched in his hand, emptied of its software.

He opened his scrunched up eyes to smile at her smugly, and continued to play on the atmosphere before him, ignoring her enraged look.

"_Kaoru_!" Mariko hollered, stalking across the room.

_Sure, now she remembers my name… _Kaoru thought to himself as he blocked Mariko from getting to the boom box and turn off the song he was currently rocking out loud to.

"Kaoru, get out of the way!" the raven hollered, throwing herself beyond him, only to be held back by his arm. "I need to practice!"

"C'mon, just _one_ song…?" He pleaded over the blaring notes.

She glared at him but then huffed out smiling, "Fine, this _one_ song."

_--if you wanna go down in history then I'm your prince,  
Because they've got me in a bad way I've never seen a heart I couldn't break.  
It was never about the songs, it was competition.  
Make the biggest scene, make the biggest..._

Mariko began to swing to the music, literally swing her arms and feet around her. Waving her arms over her head, then down to her feet, only to grab an ankle a pull her foot up into the air, her leg now parallel to her face.

_Which came first, the music or the misery?  
We're high-fashion, we're last chances.  
Which came first, the music or the misery?  
We're high-fashion, we're last chances._

___I'm casually obsessed and I've forgiven death,  
I am indifferent, yet (I am a total wreck)  
I'm every cliché, but I simply do it best._

Kaoru laughed when Mariko swayed her hips in a seductive manner when the voice sang _do it best, _and shook her ass in front of him. He continued to play his air instruments, and tried to match up the words in his head with the ones he learn in English class.

The two started banging their heads in rhythm to the song, laughing and really just enjoying each others company.

"Tatsuna-san!" A shrill old voice, rang threw the intercom system, anger and annoyance laced deep within it, "I can here you all the way down in the main hall! Please quiet your music! And that hardly sounds like Swan Lake!" A sharp beep soon followed afterward.

Both teen's eyes had grown to the size of dinner plates, the music had long since been snapped off by Mariko who was scurrying over to a small white box strapped to the wall and pressed a blue button on it. "Sorry Ouranin-sama. It won't happen again, I promise."

"See that it doesn't…" With that, Co-Headmistress Ouranin's voice excited the room as abruptly as it had come.

Mariko sighed and turned to Kaoru, her glare back in place.

Kaoru laughed nervously, "It'll… never happen again?" He ventured.

"See that it doesn't…" Mariko retorted. She put her Swan Lake CD back in and continued to dance her routine.

"Hey, are you doing anything next Friday?" Mariko suddenly stopped after a moment and looked at Kaoru with curious eyes.

Kaoru's own eyes widened as she asked the question, and acted upon instinct as he shook his head no. "No, not that I can remember."

"Oh, good. 'Cause I wanted to know if you wanted to come to my recital?" Her eyes now looked hopeful. "I have two extra tickets, if you want to bring someone else, too, I wouldn't mind."

Kaoru thought for a moment, his eyes trained on a scuffed up floor board, "Alright," He agreed, "But on one condition." Mariko's smile suddenly faded from her face, "_I_ get to take _you_ to dinner after the show…"

━━━ **死****━━━**

"_Haru_-chan!" Hunny ran up to the…_younger_ host club member, his Bun-Bun flapping wildly in his arms.

Haruhi was currently studying for a history test, and had her nose tucked away in an outsized book, but she gazed over the cover to eye the small blonde boy approaching her. "Yes Hunny-senpai?" she asked setting the text aside.

"Takashi and I were wondering if you'd seen Kao-chan and Hika-chan in class today." Hunny gestured to the taller senior across the room when mentioned; it seems he was cutting a slice of cake for Hunny.

Haruhi shrugged, "I saw one of them. Kaoru. He said Hikaru is still at home, sick." The brunette picked up her book again, "Why do you ask?"

"Um…well, even on their days off the twins come and it just doesn't seem right for either one not to be here. Bun-Bun was getting worried." Hunny held up his plushy to prove his point.

"Have you asked Kyoya if he knows?" Haruhi sighed; she was losing valuable study time, and it was _her_ day off, too.

"Yes, and he asked Tamaki for me too." Hunny scrambled up unto the couch next to Haruhi, Bun-Bun stationed happily in his lap, it's over stuff head was pulled by gravity to one side.

"And…?" Haruhi edged on, deciding to give up on studying for the time being; she knew the material pretty well anyway.

Hunny shrugged and kicked his feet back and forth, "He hadn't seen them either, and now he's in his corner—"

"Sulking?"

"No, he's…thinking…" Hunny clutched his toy tighter to his chest, "Tamaki's _scary _when he thinks."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "It's _dangerous_ when he thinks." She looked over to their King's corner where said king was pacing back and forth hurriedly.

"I'll go see wh—" The double doors to the third music room, suddenly swung open, a copper haired twin trotting in afterward.

"Kaoru," Tamaki stopped pacing and rushed over to the devil type's side, "Where were you?"

"None of your business, milord." Kaoru said monotonously, and pushed the blonde out of the way running up to the couch where Haruhi sat, trying to pick up her studies, "Hey, Haruhi?" Kaoru leaned over the back of the couch, looming over the girl and casting a shadow over her book.

Haruhi stared up at his grinning face, "What?"

"I have a favor to ask of you," he snatched the book away so she was paying full attention to him. He whispered, "I need someone to go with me to a friend's recital. So, wanna have a front row seat to Swan Lake?" He waved the tickets before her nose.

The brunette raised an eyebrow at him, "Is Hikaru going?" she asked.

"Um, well, no, but that's because I don't want him to know. Please Haruhi?" Kaoru did his best to dish out a puppy pout. It actually worked pretty well.

"Fine, now go apologize to Tamaki…" Haruhi snatched back her book.

"Apologize?"

"Yes, he is now sulking in the corner," she pointed, "Because you didn't answer his question."

Kaoru slumped and crossed his arms, "Fine…fine…fine…"

━━━ **死****━━━**

**Thanks and reveiew please!**

**TEC-chan:** i think i might be making their relationship move to fast

**Kaoru: **Hey Mariko, c'mere!

**Mariko: **What? are you just _trying_ to make me loss my compitition because lemmie tell you that's not--**(( Kaoru grabs Mariko and they begin to Kiss))**

**TEC-Chan: **Hey! HEY! No, frenchy in my study! Go do it in a closet some where!

**Mariko:** Al-((**Gasp))**

**Kaoru:** -Right...((**Pant))**

**lol? maybe? well tell me if you have got any ideas for me!**

**R&R**

**Ja ne**

**TEC-chan!**

**P.S. someone asked me what Ja Ne meant in a review, just so they know it's means See Ya!**

**P.P.S. The song in this chapters name is "Music or the Misery" by Fall Out Boy.**


	3. Chapter III: Wardrobe Malfunction

**Hey...:looks down sadly: I'm sorry i couldn't get this up faster.**

**You see my pops got a new job all the way out in Ohio! Ugh! And it made me go into a real writter's slump cuz that's means I' moving! **

**I am sooo gonna miss all my friends and everyone! WAAAAH:cries chibi tears: But on the bright side, here's another chapter! Thank you to all my lovily reveiwers!**

* * *

"Oh, Hikaru-kun, it is so wonderful to have you back!" A young brunette girl brushed a stray peace of ginger hair away from Hikaru's golden eyes, "We were all so worried about you!" She declared, latching herself onto his right arm as they sat upon one of the Host club's many over stuffed sofas. Kaoru and his customer were sitting opposite them. "So worried…" she sighed.

"Thank you, Kari-can…" The older twin said, taking the girls hand in his larger one and bowing his forehead upon it and rubbing his perfect nose in small circles upon the surface, making her blush uncontrollably.

"We were very worried about you too, Kaoru!" The strawberry blonde to Kaoru's left stoked his arm lovingly as she spoke, "It was so heart wrenching when Kyoya-san told us you refused to attend the host club, to instead go down to the chapel and pray for your brother's health." She covered her lip gloss soaked mouth to hold back the "sobs", "It was just so beautiful, the way he described your departure…"

Kaoru mentally rolled his eyes. Now, he knew what dramatic story Kyoya had told the young women that requested his brother and his service in their absence. "Yes, well, um, Kami has answered my prayers. Hikaru is now well enough to walk amongst us, and I can move back into our room. Isn't that right, Hikaru?" Kaoru had moved out of the twin's room upon their mother's command, not wishing Kaoru to obtain Hikaru's strep throat as well.

As the script called for, Hikaru's eyes took on a predatory glint to them after his twin said this (something Kaoru could never do as well as his brother) and he smirked, "Even so, we cannot participate in our _nightly rituals_ until I have made a full recovery, right, _Kaoru_?" Kaoru's name rolled off of his twins tongue like honey off a spoon, and that was Kaoru's que to blush.

"H-Hikaru…! Such talk in front of these young ladies!" Hikaru did not take Kaoru's face in his hands like he would usually, for as he said before he had not made a full recovery and did not wish to spread his germs to others, especially his brother. Instead he laughed and told Kaoru he looked the cutest when he turned red, as their clients quietly swooned in the corner of the couch.

━━━ **死****━━━**

"So tell me Kaoru, how bored were you while I was gone, hmm?" Hikaru looked across the tea set to stare at his twin, his chin resting on his fists as he leaned forward. "From what the girls have told me, you were praying at the chapel, but I doubt that."

Kaoru snagged a tea cookie from the tray and began to nibble on it carelessly, "'Course I wasn't at the chapel. Strep throat will_ not _kill you…at least, I don't think it can." Kaoru mused, finishing his cookie and picking up another, "I just hung out…"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow before shrugging and snatching the cookie out of Kaoru's hand, breaking it in half with his teeth; "If you say so…" he leaned back in his chair, balancing on two of the four legs.

Kaoru sighed. Just a few more minutes until the Host Club's doors were closed for the day (it was a requirement that all members stay until all clients left). Hikaru and Kaoru's clients had long since departed, as well as Haruhi's, and Kyoya's, but Tamaki, Hunny and Mori still had a few young girls in their mists.

Kaoru tapped his foot impatiently and took a brief glance at the gold watched adorning his wrist, when the face showed that he still had ten minutes to go, he huffed irritably and scowled.

"In a hurry, Kaoru?" Hikaru chuckled and sipped his instant coffee.

Kaoru offered a small, bashful smile before nodding, "Sorrta, I guess." Mariko was in the studio today.

Kaoru felt bad for not telling his brother, of course. But he was hiding Mariko's existence from Hikaru because for once in his life there was something he didn't have to share with him. Mariko was his friend and did not look at him as a Hiitachi twin, but as Hiitachi Kaoru instead. And that made him feel good inside, and he did not want to loose that relationship with her just yet.

"…ru…? Kaoru…?" Kaoru cleared his thoughts away by blinking rapidly, Hikaru's hand coming into focus in the process, which was carelessly waving just beyond his nose, "Did you hear me, Kaoru?" Hikaru asked, annoyance pooling in his eyes, and no they were not tears.

"Uh…No, gomen…guess I spaced out." Kaoru replied, bashfully.

"Yeah, you've been zoning out all day, Kaoru. What's on your mind?" Concern for his brother now laced itself onto Hikaru's face, making Kaoru feel guilty.

"N-nothing," Kaoru cursed himself for stuttering, "What were you saying?"

"I was saying that the doctor just called." He waved his cell phone around carefully. "He needs another throat swab test to see if I'm over my strep. And that means you'll be going home alone, 'kay?" Hikaru asked, taking Kaoru's wrist and turning it as to check the time.

Kaoru nodded his head a little too enthusiastically, "S-sure..." Damn his stuttering tongue!

"Good." Hikaru smiled and got up from the chair he had seated himself in. "Milord…?" He called out to Tamaki, who had one girl latched onto each arm as he looked over to him, "I have to go. Doctor's appointment. Kaoru's going home alone." With that he winked at his brother, snagged the last tea cookie and strutted out the door.

"Milord…?" Kaoru got up himself, "I'm leaving too…all my clients are gone anyway."

"Fine, fine…" Tamaki called back waving a hand around lazily as if to dismiss the left over twin.

"See you tomorrow, Kao-chan!" Hunny squeaked from the dessert table, where a tan beauty was feeding him some Angel food cake happily.

"Bye, Kaoru!" Haruhi said. Kaoru said his farewells to both of them—as well as to Mori-senpai and Kyoya—before departing.

━━━ **死****━━━**

"Come in…" Mariko answered to the solid knock on the door, her eyes never wavering from the laptop's computer screen. "Door's open…"

A familiar mop of ginger hair poked itself through the now opened door, "Mariko?" Kaoru asked out, not seeing the girl right away.

"Hey, Kaoru!" The raven waved briefly from the other corner of the large room. Kaoru visibly brightened when he took notice of the other adolescent and entered the dance studio he had come to grow familiar with.

He smiled and made his way over to Mariko, who was sitting at the opposite end of the room at the large oak table that usually held her boom box and bag. But today, a small laptop was set out before the girl, her fingers flying over the key board with great speed. He hopped up onto the table and sat with his legs crossed behind the computer screen. "Whatcha doin'?"

Mariko scowled when his sudden leap upon the table had caused her laptop to sway dangerously before she steadied it with her hands, but answered indifferently, "Just e-mailing a friend in my dance group. Which reminds me…" She quickly got up and trotted over to her bag, rummaging through it before she lifted out a plain indigo folder. She opened it and removed two tickets from its double pockets, "These are your tickets." She handed them to the boy who took them appreciably.

"Thanks…" he pocket the slips into his pocket, located on the inside hemming of his uniform jacket. "Front row?"

"No second," She admitted, sighing, "Who are you taking with you?"

"My friend; Haruhi. Sh—um…" Oh, great…another obstacle. Tell Mariko that Haruhi is male and be asked what their relationship is (which would eventually lead to the Host Club) or confirm that Haruhi is female and be asked what their relationship is again. Um… "…_He_'s really looking forward to it."

"Really? He into the Arts?" Mariko asked, tipping her head to one side.

"I guess," Kaoru answered simply, trying to avoid the subject.

"Hmm…Now, the show starts at seven o'clock sharp so _do not_ be late." She ordered, "The ushers will not open the doors after the show starts for anybody, got it?"

"Got it," He repeated, patting his jacket for emphasis.

"I got you the best seats I could, but—"

"You have glasses?" Kaoru suddenly interrupted, pointing to said glasses. He didn't know how he didn't notice them before now. They were rectangular, much like Kyoya's (you know, long, a real face filler), only a bit thicker and a deep maroon color. They fitted her face perfectly, like a glove. They fitted her personality even better.

But Mariko suddenly did something very un-Mariko-ish, she squeaked nervously and quickly removed her glasses, pocketing them quickly, and then she began to blush madly, "Y-yeah, w-well…I, um, Th-they're reading g-glasses, and I, uh, read w-with them…yeah, uh-huh." She nodded as if proving something to herself.

"Tatsuna Mariko, are you, dare I ask, blushing?" Kaoru couldn't help but laugh when the girls red color began to spread and darken.

"S-shut up, Stinker!" Mariko squealed out, throwing the glasses into the Fall Out Boy bag and pouting.

"Gomen, gomen…" Kaoru apologized, standing in front of the shorter teen, "Why are you embarrassed?"

She looked away from his still laughing features and mumbled something incoherent.

"What?" Kaoru ventured.

Mariko huffed and repeated herself, "I hate my glasses. They make me look weird…"

Kaoru shook his head, "No they don't." He reached into the bag and removed the glasses, "They don't look weird at all. They actually look quite cute." He placed the spectacles back upon her face, despite her lack of looking at him directly, "And they matched the color of your cheeks perfectly, Loopy."

Mariko glared at him playfully and slapped him across the arm, "Shut up." She took the glasses off again and placed them next to the laptop, before reaching into her bag and removing her crimson point shoes, the red ribbons tucked away in them. "Don't get used to seeing them a lot, they're just reading glasses." She slipped on her slippers and wound the ribbon up her ankle, tying it at the mid calf.

She turned on the boom box, Swan Lake immediately erupting from its speakers.

"Mariko, do you mind if I check my e-mail?" Kaoru asked, already seated in the chair before the computer.

"No, go ahead. But just minimize that essay I was writing for science class, 'kay?" She went into a series of spins just as she finished speaking, making Kaoru dizzy just watching her.

He moved the clicker about to bring it out of the corner, where it was left and minimized the essay as promised. Then he clicked a small globe with the single word INTERNET written under its round form, causing a new window to pop up. He searched his e-mail site and typed in his username and password. Soon he was inside his inbox, where there was nothing but junk mail that was carelessly deleted and a letter from his mother—who was somewhere in England, showing off her new line of winter clothes along with his father. He e-mailed his mother back, telling her Hikaru was feeling better and how he planned on moving back into their room soon, before logging out and shutting down.

"Thank you, Loopy." He thanked Mariko, watching her as she slowly dipped forward and back.

He watched her for a good long time, always fascinated with the soft yet determined look set on her sharp face as she danced, a small amount of dampness wetting her forehead and neck. Her arms and legs always seemed to be in perfect unison, even when not moving in the same direction and always gentle yet sharp and fierce in their movements. So precise and accurate it was almost scary…well, almost always accurate.

Mariko yelped and took a tumble, landing gracelessly upon her bottom at least two yards away from where she tripped. "God dammit!" She cursed and cussed, pounding the ground once with her hand. "And I was almost there! Almost perfect!" She scolded herself quietly.

"Are you alright?" Kaoru asked, hurriedly.

Mariko opened her eyes (when did she close them?) to find Kaoru's face dangerously close to her own, his precious metal orbs filled with unknown worry and fear. Her own chocolate eyes widened and a light blush spread across her tan cheeks and nose. She knew that Kaoru was handsome from the first time she had met him (a.k.a. Held he down and threatened him with a full plastic water bottle), but being this extremely close to the boy really showed off his unnatural beauty.

"Are you okay?" He repeated.

Mariko cast her gaze down quickly to her shoes; the cause of her fall, "Y-yeah…I just tripped. I'm okay." She took his large warm hand and let him help her up just as she did to him upon their first meeting. They walked over to the table and Mariko hoisted her foot up to her opposite thigh and removed the point shoe, doing the same for the other.

The long red ribbon on her left slipper had snapped away from the lining of the shoe and had made her trip, ruining her mood. The raven whimper and stomped her foot childishly, "My shoes…" she whined, "Oh… poopy!" she tossed them onto the table and slumped into a chair, closing her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kaoru asked, picking up the discarded slippers and scanning them thoughtfully, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"The ribbon snapped and a shoe without a ribbon is just dysfunctional—throws you off balance—and I can't fix it." Mariko ground out, glaring at the points in Kaoru's hands.

"Why not?"

"One, I don't have any sewing supply with me, and two, even if I did it would probably come out all wrong…I'm horrible at sewing." She explained, "I'll just have to go home and ask Kiko if she can sew, though I seriously doubt it." She whispered the last part to her self but loud enough that Kaoru could pick the words up.

A smile grace his features, showing all his perfect white teeth, straight as parked cars, "I can sew it for you."

"You can?" It was Mariko's turn to raise a brow.

"Mm-hmm," Kaoru whipped out a small sewing kit from inside his jacket. It contained four size varying needles and several different colors of thread, along with a few surplus buttons. "My mother taught me."

"Your mum?" Mariko seated herself next to Kaoru, who had already picked out and red colored thread and was lacing it through the eye of the needle.

"Yeah…my mother is in the fashion business and she thought that I might want to learn a thing or two," He shrugged, "It does come in handy from time to time."

"Fashion? Really?" Mariko seemed to be in awe, "All Kiko can do is order take out and was her rat-dog." She huffed out and lowered her face into her arms.

"Who's Kiko?" Kaoru asked, nipping through one sting and tying another easily.

Mariko grunted and lifted her head up, her bangs covering her eyes in shaggy masses, "My stepmother."

"Oh…"

"My real Mum was great…" Mariko suddenly said making Kaoru stop his work for a moment and listen, "She's the one that taught me to dance. Said it built character. But back when I was little, all I wanted to do was hang out and be a kid. I didn't want to be disciplined and taught how to dance." Mariko laughed grimly then, "But then I did…yep…right _after_ she left I wanted to be the best, because I used to think it would bring her back. Not make her mad at us anymore." Kaoru didn't move when he saw her bring a hand to her face to dab her wet eyes, threatening to smudge her make-up, "But she never came back, not even when I told her my group was performing Swan Lake—her favorite recital…" The last part was whispered and smaller than the rest of her words.

"Here," Mariko blinked as Kaoru showed her the repaired slippers "Keep practicing, okay?"

Mariko nodded and took the shoes, carefully winding the ribbon up her leg, before stepping back out onto the floor. "Press the play button," she ordered.

Kaoru smiled and nodded, jabbing the indented button on the stereo.

Mariko took a deep breath and took a few testy steps forward, a simple spin, and a careful leap, before diving back into her practice, nailing each move with practiced ease. Kaoru had done a splendid job upon her points. They were now as wonderful as they were when her mother first sewn the ribbons on for her just a few years ago.

"What?" Kaoru thought he heard Mariko mumble something to his but wasn't entirely sure.

"Nothing…" Mariko shook her head, not willing to tell Kaoru what she had said. But she still thought it; _you'll be at the recital…right, Stinker?_

"Hey Loopy?"

"Hmm…?"

"Can you die from strep throat?"

* * *

**Ta-daa? **

**Well that's all for now i guess. i'll try to update sooner than last time 'kay?**

**Now i'm off to burn--i mean, rip up---i mean do my homework...:shifty eyes:**

**Oh, and one of my reveiwers asked if this was a triangle. I'm sorry but it's not, though their will be jelousy and deception later. Sorry for the confusion!**

**Until we meet again,**

**Ja ne!**

**Franki!**


	4. Chapter IV: Backstage Pass

**Hey 'yall!**

**Guess what?**

…

**I have a plot! Whoo-hoo! I finally got a plot line down for this story. Yeah, I bet you all thought I was all planned out, didn't you? Well I wasn't. It was really a spur of the moment kind of thing. (Shrug) Oh, well…**

**I'm sooooo sorry! I made a mistake with the point shoes in the last chapter. A very kind reviewer named Rosepetal Dawn (Who is a dancer.) told me that you do not wrap the ribbon up your calf. It's supposed to be wrapped around your ankle bone and no higher. Wrapping it higher can result in broken bones and is a result of improper teaching. You also have to wear a sock-like pouch over your toes. Thank you for informing me. I'll try not to make the same mistake twice. Rosepetal Dawn was very helpful and you should all go thank her for making this story better. You get delicious strawberry shortcake Rose…Mmm. You were even kind enough to put me on your favorites list.**

**To answer a frequently asked question: No, I do not dance. I did once when I was, like, I dunno, five…six…seven? (Shrug) Around that time. I was little. I find the fact that you guys thought I dance was very flattering. 'Cause that means that the way I write make you feel like I dance and know what it feels like. But I don't. Thanks anyway!**

**Mariko: You? Dance? Please…don't make me laugh… (Snort)**

**Mm13: Shuddup! I am your creator. I can kill you off or something. I can make you break your leg or foot or some other body part that's important in dance.**

**Mariko: That's not fair!**

**Mm13: Too bad…and I could dance if I tried… (Pout)**

**Hikaru: With those thighs? Puh-lease…**

**Mm13: Hey, you stay out of this! I can kill you off too.**

**Hikaru: No you can't.**

**Mm13: Yes I can. You're in my world now! (Spooky finger wiggly)**

**Kaoru: She's right you know…**

**Hikaru: (Glare) You're supposed to be on my side, traitor.**

**Kaoru: (Shrug) I'm neutral.**

**Mariko: Magikme13 does not own any of the Ouran High School Host Club original characters…Unfortunately…I, her OC, **_**do**_** belong to her. (Gags)**

**Mm13: Why doesn't my OC like me? TT-TT (Cry chibi tears)**

━━━ **死━━━**

"Wow…" Kaoru breathed, awed by the breathtaking site before him, "It's huge…" He stared up at the ongoing ceiling above him. Sure, he'd been in many, many large and grand houses, buildings and etc. but this Opera house was simply gorgeous. Mariko said it belongs to her school and that they preformed all their shows here. She never told him, though, what school she went to.

The walls had columns running vertically up the sides of the circular room, their tall forms trimmed with gold and maroon paint spinning up the surface and twirling about each other in vine-like symmetry.

Maroon and onyx curtains hung lazily from the ceiling, concealing the roof from view. There must have been a breeze because they seemed to flow gracefully and uncaringly above them, making it all the more beautiful to just stand there and admire it.

The floors were made of a deep mahogany wood and were shined to perfection. Kaoru looked down near his shoes to see a perfect replica of himself looking back at him; a dark hue to its form.

It was furnished with small tables and chairs for waiting attendants and lovers of the arts, covered and lined in red silk. Small appetizers and snacks were placed upon there (shined) surfaces and were just waiting to be tested and commented on.

The most grand out of it all was the Staircase...

Yes, it deserved that capital "S".

It was long and virtually took up one wall of the room. Curved and broad at the bottom, but as it traveled upward it slowly began to narrow. But you could fit at least twenty inhabitants in it at a time still. The banister was a dragon or a snake, or both combined. The twin set of reptiles had ruby stones for eyes that glistened aggressively in the dim light and they truly clashed with the shadowy wood of the long banister. The stairs themselves were covered with a dark firm carpet, the color of blood. Small statues of a naked women made of gold was placed every four stairs; their eyes closed and their bodies each set in a different pose; their lower halves covered sloppily by sheets of sorts.

"And it's only the entrance hall." Kaoru looked to his left to find Haruhi; clad in a dark blue suit and happy smile. She had agreed to dress as a boy when Kaoru had said she was a boy to Mariko by "mistake". "I thought you'd be used to things like this, Kaoru."

"Me too…" Kaoru replied, chuckling. The Opera house was just simply breathtaking and that was that.

Mariko had wanted them there earlier so she could meet Haruhi and chat a bit. That would explain why there were little to no people around, and the ones that were, were just sipping their champagne and wine from passing waiters as they waited in their regal dresses and ironed suits for the show to start.

Kaoru himself was dressed in black slacks and a blue button-up silk shirt, a black jacket covering all but the top of the torso and no tie…because he had forgot it…whoops. Well you would have forgotten it to if you had to sneak out of your freaking HUGE and SQUEAKY mansion after slipping pain killers into your brother's dinner so he'd fall asleep and _stay_ asleep. Not to mention that annoying maid that kept asking "Where are you going?", "Where are you going?" Blah, blah, _blah_…

Yeah, Kaoru still wasn't ready to tell Hikaru about Mariko just yet. He was just scared that's all. Hikaru got very possessive at times and he jumped to conclusions like a rabbit running away from a fox. After he got up the courage, Kaoru would tell Hikaru…or try to. Ugh…

"So who gave you these tickets again?" Haruhi asked as the duo walked up the Staircase, side by side.

"Tatsuna Mariko. She's just a friend who wanted to invite me." Kaoru responded with a shrug.

"Uh-huh, _sure_." Haruhi said with a roll f her big brown eyes.

"It's true!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"No, no…I believe you, Kaoru." Haruhi laughed, holding her hands up in a defensive manner. "You just seemed very _eager_, that's all." She laughed again.

Kaoru tried to force his blush back down and said nothing. He reviewed the directions to the backstage in his head where Mariko wanted to meet them, and they soon stumbled upon the large double doors with the words STAFF ONLY engraved on a golden plaque.

"I guess this is it." Kaoru reached for the door knob casually, before it was thrown open from the inside by another individual, causing Haruhi to jump back in surprise and making Kaoru land ungracefully on his butt.

"Stop it Soutai-kun!" A young woman with mussed fiery red hair came dashing out of the STAFF room, giggling like crazy. "Stop it! Someone help me, please!" She laughed. A young man followed out the door after her, his black hair muddled and the frontage of his button shirt undone, showing off his attractive russet colored skin.

"Aw, C'mon Mali-chan…I don't bite—hard." He laughed, nipping at her open neck and ears before wrapping his arms around her. She shrieked and wriggled out of his grasp, running down the hall in her leotard, the boy following after her and groping for her bottom.

"What was—?"

A recognizable tone of voice cut Haruhi off, "Soutai and Mali, you two get your asses back here right now!" They screamed, "We're on in an hour!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Tatsuna…" Soutai reappeared from around the turn, Mali draped over one shoulder like a sack of rice, "I caught 'er."

"Soutai-kun put me down!" Mali halfheartedly pounded at his muscled back with her much smaller fists, "Tatsuna, make Soutai-kun put me down!"

"Drop her off in her dressing room Soutai…and no pit stops on the way." Mariko narrowed her eyes in a good-humored manner.

"Yes sir!" Soutai mock saluted Mariko and vanished inside with Mali still fussing.

Mariko chuckled and crossed her arms. She jolted her body around when Haruhi cleared her throat, "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, but you're not aloud—"

"Hey Loopy!" Kaoru greeted from the floor.

"W…What are you doing down there, Stinker?" Mariko asked, placing her hands on her leotard clad hips, "And who's this?"

Kaoru raised himself from the floor and dusted himself off of any dirt that might have clung to him, "This," He began after he had finished straightening himself out, "Is Haruhi. Haruhi this is Tatsuna Mariko, the one who provided our tickets."

"Pleasure to meet you." Haruhi politely stuck out his hand for hers.

"I'm sorry…The pleasures all mine." Mariko responded, just as well-mannered as Haruhi. "Oh, Stinker, c'mere…your shirts all messed up." Mariko waved Kaoru over and proceeded to straighten his shirt. "There."

"Arigato…"

"Yo, Tatsuna, you out 'ere?" The threesome turned to find a young woman standing in the doorway to the STAFF room.

"Yeah, just gossiping that's all…" Mariko responded, shrugging. "Come on out and meet 'em."

"M'kay…" The girl stepped forward and closed the door behind her, "Who's that?" She pointed to Haruhi and Kaoru with her pointer and middle finger. The girl was about Mariko's height, with skin the color of coffee that hadn't been tampered with in any way, making her green eyes stand out from the rest of her, though partially hidden behind braided dessert sand hair.

"This is Haruhi and Kaoru." Mariko pointed to each of them as she spoke. "They're friends of mine."

Kaoru inwardly beamed at being considered Mariko's friend.

"Nice to meet you two, but you wouldn't mind if I stole Ko-chan away would you?" The girl smiled, grabbing Mariko's arm.

"Not at all Miss…?"

"Kami."

"Lord?" Haruhi asked.

"Uh-huh and proud of it Squirt," Kami grinned like a fox when she saw Haruhi go red in the face at the nickname, out of anger or embarrassment she did not know, but it was cute... In that taunt your little brother kind of way. "C'mon Ko-chan, before Soutai and Mali get any more 'ideas'."

"Oh, fine…" Mariko huffed, "You guys want to come with? You've got at least forty-five minutes to kill before we go on…" She waited for their answer.

"Kaoru…?" Haruhi looked up to her companion, who nodded and stepped to the fore.

"Lead the way." He ordered.

Mariko rolled her eyes and Kami rushed inside, a muffled, "Make yourselves presentable!" was heard through the fluctuation door. Mariko shook her head and opened the entry for the two "boys", "After you."

Haruhi nodded and stepped through, followed closely behind by Kaoru and Mariko.

Haruhi and Kaoru gaped in awe as their eyes feasted upon the sight laid before them. The only way to compare it was to a three ring circus.

Ring One: Dozens of able-bodied dancers and what not were all stretching to a buoyant song. One scarlet headed male was holding his muscled leg up to the side of his stony face, concentrating entirely on loosening his tense body and letting all stress free of his system. A small girl next to him with large round blue eyes was bending backward and once her palms touch the ground she began crawling under _herself_. She smiled happily as she casually looked at the still awe-struck faces of the host members seemingly delighted that she could entertain someone with such ease and so, she waved as she laid under her own legs. Haruhi waved back numbly as they continued to follow Mariko to…where ever it was she was taking them. They passed another young man who had gone into a vertical split without any protest at all from his lean body. Kaoru winced at the sight as the boy's feet slid him back into a standing position and sighed, bored with himself. Haruhi laughed at Kaoru's amazed face at how the dancer could just move like that and not harm his main male anatomy or care that he didn't ham it.

"This is the stretching section," Mariko explained, waving at it haphazardly and not bothering to give it a second glance, even as the three passed two girls who had linked arms at the elbow and were now doing reverse flips over one another's back, one of the flippers being Kami. Kami waved to Mariko, who waved back and then went back to giving her tour.

Ring Two: Each face of each dancer had been painted and made up to look as dazzling as possible. Some looked like China dolls shipped all the way from Hong Kong just for this occasion, their lips a bright cherry red color and their faces white as doves, making the pink blush dusted upon their cheeks and the dark eye liner stand out like roses among thorns. Some had Animal ears placed upon their heads, the strings holding them in place buried beneath their hair. Their faces were colored the same shade of "fur" their ears were. For example, a tall blond girl had her face dusted a light tan to promote her squirrel ears and daintily painted whiskers.

The persons applying said make-up was a set of two boys, a line in front of each of them containing either people still left without make-up or those needed a quick touch up.

One raven haired boy was painting a beautiful and life-like rose vine traveling up a seated ladies face, growing from the base of her neck to the flat of her brow, smiling as he did so. The design was so intriguing that Haruhi had to stop and lean forward to get a closer look.

"This is the make-up station," Mariko placed a hand upon one of the make-up-man's shoulders and he looked up, "Don't lay it on too, too thick, okay Rai?"

"Alright," Rai responded, going back his work, Mariko proceeding with the unintentional tour.

Ring Three: …was a little out of order…

"C'mon!"

"What the Hell!?"

"I'm freezing!"

"Where's my dress?"

"Where're my _pants_?"

"Dude…this is _so_ not cool!"

"What's going on?" Mariko asked one of the many people waiting in line for something and screaming out complaints.

"I don't know," The guy retorted sourly, "All I know is that this line isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. And we all need our costumes! Show starts in forty five minutes!"

"I'll go see what's up," Mariko reassured, sifting through the many bodies, Kaoru and Haruhi following behind closely. "'Scuse me…Sorry…Whoops, my bad." Mariko finally had cleared the path enough to reach the source of the problem. "Karini!"

The young women addressed was seated in a collapsible metal chair behind a small counter, her short cropped red-brown hair pulled over one shoulder and her deep green eyes frantically scanning over the pages of a thick book through a pair of thick round sea foam glasses. She was completely oblivious to the ever growing line before her booth and continued reading, gasping softly at parts that left her craving more, "No George!" she cried, shaking the book, "Don't die on me! Fred needs you! George!"

"Karini!" Mariko called over the counter, trying to vocalize over the other angered teens and young adult dancers, but it seemed as if Karini wasn't coming out of orbit anytime soon as she turned the page to her novel.

"Karini! Hello? Earth to Karini; come in Karini!" Mariko sighed when she still received no response and waved Kaoru and Haruhi around back to a small gate leading into the costume booth. They walked up to the brunette's side and Mariko tapped her. "Karini?" Nothing. "That's it!" Mariko tore the book from Karini's pale hands and snapped it shut.

"Hey!" Karini screeched, "What the heck? I was reading that!"

"I can see that," Mariko gestured to the line.

"…Oh," Karini blushed in realization, "B-But, I was at the part where George gets his ear blown off!"

"Gets his _ear _blown off?" Haruhi asked in shock, "What book could you possibly be reading?"

"_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_!" Karini exclaimed with new found enthusiasm, "Written by J.K. Rowling! Oh Em Gee! It's amazing!"

"But I thought you said Fred and George…not Harry Potter…" Kaoru ventured, earning him a dirty look from Mariko.

"Yeah they're my favorite characters out of all seven books of the series!" Karini explained, "They're a duo of trouble making twins that follow their own rules and Ko-chan stole the book when I was at the part when George gets his ear blown off and Fred gets all worried!"

"Wow…" Haruhi breathed and turned to Kaoru, "That's sound a lot like you and Hik—"

Kaoru panicked and wrapped his arms around Haruhi's head, muffling her words and inserted his own question, "What's it about?"

Mariko rolled her eyes and walked to the counter top and spoke to a boy with deer antlers that said he needed his tail. She nodded and told him to wait a minute. She found his tail and handed it to him and then started to help the next person. Then the next person and the next and the next and the next and the next and the next and the next and the next and the next and the next. She basically took over Karini's job as she told Kaoru and Haruhi all about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and how a boy named Harry Potter was the only one to survive a certain spell that's supposed to kill you instantly and how he went to the school when he blah, blah, blah, blah… (She said she had read each book eight times over.) Haruhi seemed captivated enough but Kaoru drifted off after a while.

"Thank you," the last person said to Mariko as she handed them their feathery outfit.

"…And that's how the fifth book ends." Karini and Haruhi had sat down and engaged deep into the conversation of Harry Potter.

"Wow…" Haruhi paused, "Is there a Sixth?"

"Oh, Em, Gee, YES! I love the Sixth! Okay, so…'

"Hey, Stinker," Kaoru turned to Mariko, "Show starts in ten. You and Haruhi better get to your seats." Kaoru nodded and stood.

"But your not dressed yet," It was true, Mariko had her costume in a bag slung over her arm.

"That's okay I don't go on until the third scene. I've got time to get dressed and apply make-up," She smiled, "You however, do not. Go!"

Haruhi said goodbye to Karini who looked very heart broken to have to stop her rant, but she waved back and they left.

Minutes later they were seated and the lights dimmed, the deep red curtain lifting gracefully and dancers sliding onto the stage while the audience fell silent. Mariko was not among them, _But that's okay,_ Kaoru thought, leaning back in his seat ever so slightly, _I get the whole night with her…_

━━━ **死━━━**

**WHOO! Done! **

**Sorry for the super **_**loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong **_**wait, but with moving to a new school and meeting new people and homework and shopping and YOUTUBE and Harry Potter re-reading (Karini s based off of me w/ my Harry Potter friends, Yes I have manga/ anime friends + Book friends) and reading FanFic and a bunch of other junk and stuff I just couldn't update! GOMENASAI (I apologize)! And I'm going to be digging myself a deeper hole 'cuz I wanna start another story for Naruto….I'm hopeless. LOL.**

**OH and I got my BRAND NEW iPod nano video stolen at the mall. It along with my cell phone and Algebraic calculator that was $120 and my fav key-chain! AND my sushi erasers! It was horrible! It was sitting right NEXT to me on the food court bench! There were only like NINE people in this mall too (It was closing and I wanted some discounts)! It so pisses me off and it put me into a real writer's slump! sigh**

**Any who, thank y'all for sticking with me throughout this story and remember….LEAVE A REVIEW! **


	5. Chapter V: A Slight Change in Routine

**((Franki shuffles in, clad in a pair of panda slippers, baggy sweat-pants littered in holes, and a tank-top, a pick-axe propped on one shoulder. Her hair is a tangled mess and she has a pair of goggles covered in concrete dust slung around her neck.)) Hello there to all my readers. I am not going to give you an excuse as to why this chapter is extremely late in the releasing process (and the writing process), other than I simply had no time, the wall of Writer's Blockage was **_**extremely**_** thick ((gestures to her dirty goggles)), and that I had run out of Springfell7's home-made 'Plot Bunny Repellent.' Though the process was long as was the wait; I present you with what I have composed. Please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes. I hope you have enjoyed my story thus far and I hope this chapter meets your standards. ((crosses fingers))**

**Oh, and also...In the story Bold print=English. not bold=Japanese**

━━━ **死━━━**

"In here guys," Kami instructed holding the door open for Mariko, Kaoru and Haruhi, "You're really gonna like this."

Kaoru laggard behind to stare up at the neon yellow sign above the door, the words こうしんりょう designed into it. Why had he never heard of this place before, it was even just a few small blocks from Haruhi's home.

"Kaoru…?" Said boy looked to Mariko, who was tugging impatiently on his arm like an excited five year old, "C'mon. Kami's family owns this place and it's absolutely fabulous!" She beamed.

"So, the food's good?" Kaoru asked, letting himself be dragged into the restaurant behind Mariko.

"Yeah, it's delicious…if you can catch it…" She whispered the last part and Kami and her giggled softly into their hands.

"C-catch it?" Haruhi stuttered.

"Yeah, Haruhi," Kami confirmed, "I'm surprised you've never been here before. Don't you live real close?"

"I do, but I've never even set eyes on this place before." Haruhi proceeded to look around, Kaoru following her example. It was a traditional Japanese restaurant, cozy, with a small sake and sushi bar, and a few well place tables, booths and chairs for customers like them. But it was mostly empty and quiet.

"_**AYIEE**_!"

Spoke too soon.

The curt sound of glass shattering and the pounding of feet in the rear of the shop echoed through out the entire restaurant, making heads swivel and turn toward the source. Mariko grinned so hard, Kaoru thought her face would split and Kami was doing no better.

"What was—?"

"HULLO!"

"GAH!" Kaoru found himself on the floor for the third time that day (the first time he tripped over his boxers getting ready earlier). "W-w-wha?" He looked up into the face of a young Chinese man, who smiled down at him through squinted eyes.

"Hullo!" He greeted. "Did I scare you?" Kaoru nodded hesitantly, dumbstruck. "Good!" He chirped and turned toward Kami and Haruhi. "Oh, Kami-chan! It's been too long! How did your recital go?"

"Very well, thank you." Kami answered and waved the man over and said into his ear, "They've never been here, nor do I think they've ever eaten at the Hibachi before." The nameless Chinese man gasped and made an "O" with his mouth, blinking from Haruhi to Kaoru and back.

"Hurry then! Pick whatever table you want! I'll be right over!" He then disappeared into the back and could be heard speaking rapid Chinese to some other individual.

The girls guided their dates over to a table way in the back, but only when they sat down did they realize it was no ordinary table. A good sized stainless steel grill was built into the middle, a bar like rim surrounding it, long enough to fit at most eight people.

They waited a few minutes, ordered their drinks from a young girl in a pink kimono, and made small talk, but nothing seemed particularly interesting about this restaurant…yet.

"Are you ready?" Someone yelled from the opposite end of the restaurant. It was the Chinese man, now dressed in a colorful chef's shirt and hat, smiling. He wheeled over a small cart filled with ingredients, spices, and sauces. "You say they've never had Hibachi before," It was more of a statement than a question, "Then lets give them a night to remember!" He whipped out two flat spatulas from his belt slapped them harshly onto the surface of the grill and began to carelessly juggle them, laughing. "Hullo, my name is John—yes I'm Irish—and I'll be your cook this evening."

It took Kaoru a few minuets to process the joke, but when he did he found himself laughing along with the rest of his group.

"But your nametag says 'Mary'," Haruhi comment.

"Oh, yeah, that's my name; Mary Ann John the Irish man. I'll have two Cokes and a beer, should I drive up to the second window?" Again everyone broke out laughing. "Ready?" They all nodded. He spilled a clear liquid onto the flat grill, then another one. He smiled as he picked up the third bottle, "And we…begin!" He splashed the third liquid onto the first two and an enormous flame leapt from the grill, making them all shy back in their chairs as the flames licked at each other and eventually died out.

John smashed his spatulas against each other twice then against the grill once then together twice again, creating a familiar tune. He began to sing, "We will…we will ROCK YOU! We will…we will ROCK YOU!" Mariko began to tap on the table to the beat, singing along.

"Okay, okay, need to keep my job; what do you want to eat today?" John slipped out a round plate of white rice from under the counter, sliding it onto the grill with his spatula.

"Haruhi, do you like chicken and shrimp?" Kami asked the brunette, who nodded. "Two chicken and shrimp, please."

"Hai…Hai, and you two?" John asked Mariko and Kaoru eyes never leaving the rice as he grilled some peas and carrots.

"Steak and chicken?" Mariko looked to Kaoru for confirmation, whom happily obliged. "Steak and Chicken; medium rare," She told John.

"O-kay!" He reached into the top of his hat and removed two eggs, making everyone look at him quizzically. "Look," He said placing the eggs on the grill and spinning them with a flick of his wrist, "Egg roll." They all chuckled at the pun. John cracked the eggs and tossed the shelling over his shoulder, not caring where it landed in the process. He scrapped and flipped the eggs until they were thoroughly scrambled then abandoned them for the time being.

John picked up a glass bottle and splashed its contents onto the rice, stating, "Some Diet Coke…" They smiled, knowing it was just soy sauce and listened to him mutter, "Dr. Pepper…" as he added a spray of a similar looking sauce beside it. He scooped and shuffled the sauce and rice until the rice had been stained a light tan color.

"Veggie time!" John announced bringing out a plate of diced carrots and a bowl of green peas from under the table/grill. He poured the vegetables over the eggs and began to mix all the ingredients on the grill.

"Kami-chan, open your mouth." Kami complied with John's command. "Let's see if you've gotten better, eh?" He balanced a grilled pea on the tip of his spatula and began to bounce it playfully. "Ready?" Kami nodded, forcing herself to keep her mouth open and not laugh.

"One…two…" John counted giving the pea a bounce each time he spoke, "…Three!" He bounced it forcefully off the spatula, toward Kami's mouth. Kami jerked her head to the side as she attempted to catch it, only to have it bounce off her nose and land in Haruhi's hair. Everyone laughed as the brunette try to remove the vegetable from her short locks, blushing.

"You next." John pointed to Haruhi with his cooking utensil, once she had gotten rid of the small round nuisance on her head.

John now balanced a carrot on his spatula and tossed it at the unsuspecting girl, who attempted to catch it unsuccessfully. Everyone giggled at Haruhi's pink stained face.

"Who's next?" John asked himself evilly, eyes landing on Mariko who was smirking.

"What?" She asked innocently, cocking her head to one side.

"Your turn." John said, scooping up an unstable clump of rice and showing it to Mariko.

"Psh, piece of cake," She shrugged and leaned forward in her chair, staring at the piece of rice like an old rival. An old rival that would obviously explode into little fragments if Mariko didn't catch it in her mouth in time.

"Fine," John aimed, "Then open that sexy mouth of yours!"

Mariko smiled, then waggled her eyebrows suggestively and licked her lips slowly, opening her mouth for the food. "Go." She whispered seductively.

"One…two…three!" John threw it hurriedly, as if it would burn him…but not at Mariko.

He threw it at poor unsuspecting Kaoru, who had gone rigid when he heard Mariko use her "bedroom" voice so openly. The rice had exploded when it made contact with his forehead, sending rice flying all over his face and hair.

Kami and Haruhi had exploded into a fit of giggles and chuckles, supporting each others weight on their swaying stools. Mariko held a hand over her mouth as she laughed soundlessly, "A-are you okay?" she asked as she raised her hand to brush the rice from Kaoru's topaz hair.

Kaoru felt heat rise up his neck but forced it down before it could reach his cheeks, "I'm fine." He mumbled sourly. He was so embarrassed.

"Oi—Oi—Oi!" John patted Kaoru on the shoulder apologetically, "Don't cry, baby. It was a joke. Don't cry! Look, look!" John's spatulas began flying around the rice and forming it into something other than a pile of grains. "Look," he repeated, producing two more eggs from his hat, placing them in the rice side-by-side. He made a hole with his spatula under the eggs and slid the actual spatula under the hole.

"Aw, I know who that is." Kami smiled, "Its Hello Kitty, right?"

"Yes, and look," John mixed the flammable liquids in the kitty's mouth hole and pulling a lighter from his pocket placing it extremely close to the cat's mouth. Soon Hello Kitty had a mouth full of fire and was looking quite distressed about it from Kaoru's point of view.

"Ah, poor kitty-cat…" John pretended to look guilty, shaking his head and "tsk"-ing. He sighed, but then, "FIREWORKS!" he yelled, holding up a tin can of something. He began to wanton the contents over the flames. Sparks began to fly and pop away, but never harming anyone. "And here's your rice…" He sloppily scooped up the grains and brushed them onto their plates without looking.

They all thanked him and hesitantly took their first mouthfuls, picking it up delicately with their chopsticks as if it would spontaneously combust there on the spot.

"As my nonexistent niece would put it; Time for the Sketti noodles!" he removed another long oval-shaped tray from underneath the bar and swept the noodles unto the stove. He replaced the tray and picked up a tin bowl filled with butter.

Chopping slices of butter off of the square he sent them flying into the pasta, "Butterfly, butterfly, butterfly…" he sang with every slab that melted into the food.

Soon though, it seemed as if John began to tire, his jokes occurring every once and a while but not as rapid fire as they once had been.

"Oh, Kami-chan," he whined to the dark-skinned girl, "Mary needs more sake." He swiped the last of their food onto their plates, sighing.

"Oh John," Kami said sympathetically, placing her hand on the Chinese man's red cheek, "I'm sure Lin can get you some more," she patted his cheek and waved him away, "Go, go. By all means… drink yourself silly!"

"Oh, thank you, Kami-chan!" he leaned over the cleaned hibachi and planted a kiss firmly on Kami's cheekbone, "You are so good to me!" And with that, the fanatical Mary Ann John was gone. Never to be seen again, hopefully.

"So, Kami," Haruhi said, wiping food residue from her lips with the napkin provided, "How long have you been dancing?"

"Oh," Kami held up a finger while she tried to finish the food still in her mouth. "Well," she began, swallowing, "Actually, I've been dancing tap since I was five. But I've been a ballerina since I was seven. Mariko has two years over me."

"You can't even tell though," Mariko stabbed her chopsticks toward Kami, "You're just as skilled as I am."

"Nuh-uh!" Kami protested, turning to Kaoru with widen beseeching eyes, "Did you see how well she did her Pirouettes?" Kaoru opened his mouth to respond, but Kami turned back to Mariko with out his answer.

"I couldn't get over how organized your arms were! How—how symmetrical your relevé was!" Kami put her hands out in front of her in attempt to make her lengthy arms symmetrical to one another.

"Kami," Mariko rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Please, it wasn't _that_ good, okay?"

Kami shook her head in response, "If you say so…" She returned to her own meal. She mumbled sourly, "Still can't believe you had such a small part."

"Hey," the raven laughed and said with a slight pout, "I liked being Dove number six!"

The two dancers laughed.

"What about you Haruhi?" Kami turned the conversation toward a different subject, "What do you do in your spare time?"

"Um," Haruhi looked to Kaoru for a moment, "Kaoru and I," she began hesitantly, "Participate in a club at school, after hours."

Haruhi tensed slightly when she noticed Kaoru's eyes widen at the statement. Haruhi had a feeling he was keeping a few things from his date. Perhaps the Host Club was one of those things.

"Oh, really?" Kami inquired, facing the younger twin, "What school?"

Letting out a small unnoticeable breath of relief, Kaoru devoured a cluster of noodles before responding.

"Ouran High School."

"Ouran?" Kami exclaimed, looking to Mariko, "You didn't tell me that."

Mariko raised an eyebrow, "Does it matter?"

"No but, that's like a really high ended school isn't it?" More questions for the students of said institution were thrown Haruhi and Kaoru's way, "Don't you need, like, _connections_?"

"Kaoru said his Mum was a fashion designer…" Mariko smiled slightly as she remembered how Kaoru had helped her that day.

Kami grinned, "Awesome! What about you Haruhi? What do your parents do?"

"Uh, I—"

"Haruhi got into Ouran on a scholarship," Kaoru wrapped an arm around Haruhi's elfin shoulders and brought her close, beaming almost proudly.

"A smarty, eh?" Kami laughed and ruffled Haruhi's hair playfully, "That's cool man."

"Do you ladies go to school together?" Kaoru nodded to the waitress as she placed their bill on the table.

"Yeah," Mariko snatched the pink check out of Kaoru's hand, "I'll pay."

"No, no, no," Kaoru grasped one end of the bill, "_I'll_ pay."

Mariko smirked, "No, I _insist_," she tugged lightly on her side of the bill.

"But what kind of gentleman would make the _lady_ pay, Hm?" Kaoru pulled as well.

Mariko leaned toward the ginger, "The kind that is dinning out with Tatsuna Mariko on his arm."

Kaoru chuckled and advanced forward as well, "So you admit this is a date?"

"I never said that, Stinker."

"But you im—"

"Lobelia…?!"

Mariko and Kaoru both looked to Haruhi, whose eyes were wide in surprise.

"What about Lobelia?" Kaoru asked, letting up on his hold of the bill.

"What?" Kami held her hands up in a show of defense, "Me and Ko-chan are students there…"

━━━ **死━━━**

"So…uh… Lobelia, huh?"

"Mm-Hm…" Mariko nodded, taking a protracted lick up the surface of her gelato cone. (Kaoru had insisted that she get the expensive Italian desert in replacement of her beloved 'ordinary' mint chocolate-chip ice cream.) "Been goin' there since I was in nursery school."

Kaoru had persuaded Haruhi to return home after she had had an atypical fainting spell three-fourths through their dinner. Kami had volunteered to make sure she got home alright and had then gratefully accepted a ride home from Kaoru's limousine chauffeur. Kaoru had told his servant that he would give him a call when he and Mariko would need him to come and take them home as well.

"Hm…" Kaoru hummed, tasting his own gelato slowly. The two of them walked contently side by side down a commoner's city street; Kaoru's stride equaling two of Mariko's.

Kaoru didn't know how he should undergo Mariko's attendance to the rivaling all girl's school. He hadn't even known that he was sitting in one of the school's many elaborate theatres during her amazing performance earlier that night. Sure, the Zuka-White Lily Club had tried to steal Haruhi away from Ouran on many a time to enroll her into their own academy, but that certainly didn't mean the whole school was filled with crazed females…_did it_?

He stole an uneasy side glance at the ballerina who had lightly taken and linked it with hers in her very own distracted state. The younger twin settled with himself in a short psychological debate that he would wait and see how things unfolded.

"Oh—" Mariko gasped, abruptly stopping, causing Kaoru to halt as well. He looked at her pouting expression (finding it rather endearing) and then followed her eyes to the fallen dairy creation at her feet.

"Whoops." He said aloud for her, smiling.

Mariko looked up at him, her unfilled cone still clutched in her hand, "Why is it when you're around; bad things tend to happen to me?" she furrowed her brow further.

Kaoru smiled and shrugged, holding out his waffle cone to her, "Just lucky I guess." His eyes twinkled with a delight that he had never had before when separated from Hikaru. "Here, have mine."

She acknowledged the outstretched cone but shook her head negatively, "It's yours, Stinker."

He chuckled and pointed to the ground, "And that one was yours." He kept his arm extended, "Take it."

The raven's ample eyes scanned his face and tentatively reached for the cone, lifting it up out of his large palm. She stared at it for a moment before proposing, "Howa 'bout we share?"

Kaoru leaned in and licked what was once his dessert. "Sounds fair enough," he smacked his lips happily. He tried to tilt in and take an extra taste, but he was stopped by Mariko's sun kissed hand smushing his cheek away to one side. "Hey!"

She laughed and stole a huge lick away from the base of the cone and shuffled away down the dimly lit sidewalk. "**Mine!**" she giggled.

The Hitachiin face became one of puzzlement, "What did you say?" he gave a crooked smile and trotted closer, "Was that English?"

Mariko kept dancing away just out of his reach. She took another large bite and nodded, "**Yes, it is.**" She smiled and swallowed, licking her lips afterward, "**I speak a little bit. Are you jealous, Stinker?"**

"That's not fair. I can't make a good come-back if I can't understand you, Loopy!" He made a playful growl and leapt for the cone again, "Japanese please!"

"**No way!**" she protested.

Then, suddenly, after an exceptionally large consumption of the gelato, Mariko gaped and pressed one folded fist to her temple, her eyes screwed shut. Kaoru didn't need to be fluent in English to know that the clever raven had gotten a tremendous case of brain freeze. He took the moment of her stillness to swipe the ice cream away and replace it with his own hand. Mariko didn't protest to the impulsive physical contact.

"Press your tongue to the top of your mouth," the red head instructed.

Mariko forced her eyes open into slits to see him, "What?" she ground out.

Kaoru opened his own mouth and pointed to the roof of his oral cavity. Mariko studied him before trying the motion out for herself, pressing her thumb flat against the area in her mouth. Her body language visibly relaxed as the method worked its magic.

"Better…?" he asked, tossing the half eaten cone away into a waste basket near-by.

"Much. **Thank you.**" She let go off his hand, subtly tucking it away under her arms as if she were chilled by the warm breeze of that night.

"What did that mean?" Kaoru asked, flipping his wrist over to check the ever fleeting time.

"It meant, 'Thank you.'" She explained nonchalantly, coughing into her forearm.

"How do you say 'You're welcome,'?" he slipped his hands into his pockets and leisurely strolled beside her.

"**You're welcome.**"

"**You're welcome.**" Kaoru repeated quietly.

━━━ **死━━━**

**Franki: ((begins to weep uncontrollably into Mariko's shoulder)) That—was—horrible! ((sobs)) my readers deserve better! Please forgive me!**

**Mariko: ((awkwardly comforts her creator with a stiff pat on the back)) Please review…? ((tries to escape Franki's grasp)).**

**((please help and give Franki-chan suggestions for how you want to story to unfold or thing you might want to be seen done))**


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